168 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 15 



low does not make a summer, and perhaps it 

 is not fair to conclude that all Funics are 

 cross, simply because the progeny of the one 

 queen we had was so. — Ed.] 



Not often do I take the same pleasure in 

 reading two controversial articles that I did 

 in reading the Miller-Phillips controversy, 



{)age 123. The abiding good nature and kind- 

 iness of spirit, with the keen arguments, 

 make a delightful combination. Arthur C. 

 is an iconoclast, and we need him. It's a 

 good thing to take our bearings occasionally, 

 even if we are on the right track. To 

 change the figure, we're all too much given 

 to following tradition. But, Arthur, my 

 good fellow, I give you due notice that I'm 

 going to stick to the tradition of the powers 

 of scent in bees as handed down by the 

 fathers— if I can. [This question is an in- 

 teresting one, and I should be glad to hear 

 from others of our subscribers who have had 

 experience. —Ed.] 



Some time ago I said in a Straw, "Well, 

 well ! it seems like old times to have A. I. 

 Root writing about bees again." I've no 

 doubt that voiced the pleasurable sentiments 

 of many a one, and the muse has inspired 

 our good friend of the Golden State to give 

 expression to the same sentiment in better 

 form in the accompanying verse : 



Uncle Amos has come back. 

 Writing bee-talk and all that. 



Just the same as ever; 

 Uncle, he, to most of us— 

 Wasn't it his talk and fuss 



Gave us first the fever? 



Langstroth will as " Father " stand 

 To the bee-craft of the land— 



We forget him never; 

 But there's no man can or will. 

 As an " Uncle, " fill the bill. 



Only Amos, ever. 



Can't you hear him just exclaim 

 At a handle to his name. 



Not for him a title! 

 Well, now, " Uncle " isn't new; 

 But it suits him, and is due. 



Though it's poor requital. 



Uncle Amos' heart is gold. 

 And his kindness can't be told— 



All men are his brothers; 

 Loving, serving all hi« days. 

 Can we give him better praise 



Than " he lives for others"? 



Humble though our lot may be. 

 Yet it gives to you and me 



Choice in fullest measure. 

 Of the good, the true, the pure. 

 Of the virtues that endure 



And make heavenly treasure. 

 Santa Rosa, Cal. F. D. Webley. 



"Naked colonies," that is, four or more 

 pounds of bees with a queen, but without 

 combs, are frequently advertised in Euro- 



gean journals, to be delivered middle of 

 eptember and after, at about 25 cents a 

 pound. [For near-by points it might be well 

 for some of our queen-breeders to arrange 

 to sell bees on a similar plan. We sold bees 

 by the pound— that is, little bunches of bees, 

 without any comb. For distances not ex- 

 ceeding 200 miles the results were fairly 

 satisfactory. So many bees arrived dead 

 for greater distances, making it necessary 

 to make replacement once and sometimes 



even twice, we gave up the business in dis- 

 gust. A package to hold "naked colonies" 

 will not weigh anything like a package large 

 enough to carry the same number of bees on 

 combs of honey. For example, one pound 

 of bees on a comb in the lightest kind of 

 package weighs about 4 pounds. The same 

 number of bees in a wire-cloth cage with 

 blocks of Good candy (sugar and honey 

 mixed into a stiff dough) weigh only about 

 1| lbs. For short distances the shipment 

 of combless bees works very satisfactorily, 

 and saves the heavy express charges ; for 

 bees have to go at a rate and a half when 

 sent as express matter. — Ed.] 



No WONDER, Mr. Editor, you and Mr. 

 Doolittle don't entirely agree about outdoor 

 feeding. He's talking about feeding needy 

 colonies in spring, while you're not, pp. 120, 

 132. Years ago I did much open-air feeding; 

 and while I've given it up because I don't 

 want to feed other people's bees, I don't 

 find the objections some do. I don't believe 

 sugar syrup will start robbing any more than 

 nectar of flowers. That the strong colonies 

 get the lion's share is rather an advantage. 

 Except for the possible stimulus, I'd just as 

 soon the little fellows wouldn't get a drop. 

 They can have combs from the big ones. 

 The greatest danger is feeding in bad weath- 

 er. You may think I'm radical about rob- 

 bing, but remember I'm talking about what 

 I know after wholesale experience feeding 

 sugar outdoors. The greenest tyro can't 

 start robbing with outdoor sugar- feeding so 

 long as he keeps it up. Same with nectar. 

 [I do not think you are radical at all; but the 

 greenest tyro should know enough to feed 

 the syrup thin, but not so thin as to sour, 

 and give them enough to keep them fairly 

 busy. The bees after a while seem to learn 

 the times when the feed is put out and about 

 when it will be gone. Another thing about 

 it is, there are always a few stray robbers 

 that will follow the smoker about when there 

 is nothing to be gathered. This outdoor 

 feeding draws them away and gives one a 

 chance to open the hives— something he can 

 not do with any degree of convenience dur- 

 ing a dearth of honey when no outdoor feed 

 is given. Yes, sir; we consider this way of 

 starting up an artificial honey-flow a great 

 boon to the queen-breeder. Every one who 

 has had much to do with raising queens 

 knows that, during a dearth of honey, bees 

 will be inclined to destroy cells, refuse to 

 start others, virgins will be missing, and the 

 bees are otherwise ill-tempered and out of 

 sorts; and, presto! what a change takes 

 place when feeding outdoors begins! We 

 have bought up now all the bees in our vi- 

 cinity; and if any one puts any down here 

 we will try to make arrangements so they 

 will pay for what their bees take. During 

 an average dearth of honey colonies would 

 lose in stores; if they gain, as well as hold 

 their own, then these "outsiders " ought to 

 pay pro rata for what they get, and most of 

 them would be glad to do so. Perhaps some 

 would think outdoor feeding is of no benefit 

 except to the queen-breeder. If there are 



